St Andrews Presbyterian Manse

Significant

C Listed - Local Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The St. Andrews Presbyterian Manse, 343 Ryrie Street, Geelong, has significance has a relatively intact example of the timber Federation style. This house was built in 190001 for John Alexander Dawson, Manager and Electrical Engineer of the first electric light and power station in Geelong known as the Geelong Electric Light Company. From 1919 until the present day, the house has been the Manse for the St. Andrews Uniting (formerly Presbyterian) Church.

The St. Andrews Presbyterian Manse at 343 Ryrie Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Federation style. These qualities include the complex roof forms that include the central hip and projecting gables at the front and side, return bullnosed verandah and the corner tower with a bell-cast conical roof, emphasising the diagonal composition. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, single storey height, horizontal weatherboard wall cladding, galvanised corrugated iron roof cladding, strapped brick chimneys but not over-painting, modest eaves with decorative timber brackets, timber framed double hung windows arranged in pairs and projecting bays, timber panelling below the corner window bay, curved stuccoed finish under the eaves of the tower and the timber framed multi-paned windows and timber shingling, decorative gable infill (shingling and vertical battening, stucco work, curved battening, curved solid stucco bracket under the front gable and timber brackets under the side gables), window hood, timber verandah floor and the turned timber verandah columns. The front garden and fence also contribute to the significance of the place.

The St. Andrews Presbyterian Manse at 343 Ryrie Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It has associations with residential developments in Geelong during the Federation c.18951915 period. Importantly, this house has associations with John Alexander Dawson, Manager and Electrical Engineer of the first electric light and power station in Geelong known as the Geelong Electric Light Company. Dawson had this house built in 190001 to a design by the architects, Hendy and Apted. The house has further associations with Canon George Goodman of Christ Church, Geelong, prior to its long association as the St. Andrews Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church Manse from 1919 until the present day.

The St. Andrews Presbyterian Manse at 343 Ryrie Street is socially significant at a LOCAL level. It is recognised and valued by sections of the Geelong community for religious reasons as the home of the incumbent Minister to St. Andrews Uniting Church.

Overall, St. Andrews Presbyterian Manse at 343 Ryrie Street is of LOCAL significance.

References

V. Anderson, 'Brief History', prepared for the St. Andrew's Council of Elders, August 1997. Anderson cited the following sources:

Geelong City Rate Books, Geelong Historical Records Centre

Hendy and Apted Correspondence, Geelong Historical Records Centre

Morrow Index to the Geelong Advertiser, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Brief History pamphlet for an Open Day held after refurbishment in February 1987, V. Anderson collection.

Geelong Town Plan, 1909, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Group

Religion

Category

Presbytery/Rectory/ Vicarage/Manse